BA worse then Ryanair and Easyjet etc

BenDToy

I booked a UK internal return flight with BA and for reasons outside my control, I needed to make alternative arrangements for the outbound portion. This was done, and I then contacted BA to tell them that I no longer needed the outbound flight, and they could go ahead and re-sell it. I had no great expectations of a refund and had already written off the cost and no doubt much of the so called "tax", because I was aware that the booking was non-refundable and non-flexible.
I then learned that if I didn't turn up for the outbound flight, my entire booking would be cancelled, and I would not be allowed on to the return flight.
Even worse, I found I was unable to cancel the outbound portion, I would have to cancel the entire booking, and then re-book the return, on the same flight, at the current price.
In my opinion this is nothing more than exploitation. I lose the entire flight price, and much of the tax etc that I had paid, and then I have to pay again to get a seat on the same plane back. In many ways this is actually worse than a budget airline. The most you can lose with them is what you pay for the flight you don't take. In this case the loss was the price of 2 flights, one of which I still wanted so I had to pay again for it. What a ridiculous situation.
This nothing short of exploitation, and is of course "explained clearly in the T&Cs whch you agreed to"! Of course it is!
So everyone, be aware that there is no assurance of fair treatment from BA, and they take every opportunity to impose charges just like the much maligned budget players, they are just better hidden. At least I know what I am in for with them, and they will be getting my business in future.
BA you deserve everything that is happening to you, and you won't be around for that much longer, unless you can find a way of justifying the extra costs.

richardw

Sometimes there is an override to the entire trip being cancelled as well, did you ask about this?

Takecareofthepennies

This is common practice with the full-service carriers. One-way flights are frequently sold at much higher prices than return trips and this is the airlines' way of protecting their revenue.

Tough luck if it is the outbound flight you need to change as there is nothing they can do if you don't turn up for the return leg.

BenDToy

The one way flight is less than the original return. This makes absolutely no sense other than as a money making scheme. Really just meant as a warning to others to beware of this. I have accepted that I can't get round it. I might leave the cancellation 'til the very last minute just to make it more difficult for them to sell the seat!! Of no real impact on them, but at least it will make me feel better!!

malkie76

BA always oversell on anticipation of some passengers not turning up, and fully flex holders cancelling. ie your seat has already been resold.

The cost is higher because either (a) the ticket price has gone up since your original booking, or (b) BA only sell flexible (hence expensive) one way tickets. That's their choice, and you don't need to buy one.

Remember, you altered your plans - why should BA be flexible when you haven't paid for flexible conditions?

BenDToy

Malkie I think you ae missing my point. I am not complaining about not receiving a refund. My problem is that I am just not using a portion of what I purchased and they expect me to buy part of it again. And it is not more expensive. It is about £20 less than I have already paid. There is no logic to this other than exploitation. If I had booked 2 x one way it would have been about the same price. So I live and learn. Next time it will be a budget airlinewhere at least the costs are clearly spelled out.

BenDToy

And I am not askingthem to be flexible. I am only going to use about half of what I bought. That is hardly flexible!!

malkie76

No don't get my point. You agreed to a return journey, and now want to break that deal. Why should BA honour the return?

Those policies are in place to prevent YOU exploiting BAs pricing structure, not them exploit you. For example you could use that technique to exploit the Saturday night rule, but moreover you could use that technique to exploit the ex-EU pricing.

[ie it's cheaper to fly to Oz with BA if you fly from Europe rather than start in London - even though the ex-EU flight still transits through London. You could basically pay for a cheaper ex-EU flight to Oz, then turn up in London having not flown the first feeder sector. What you are asking is essentially no different. ]

exel1966

BenDToy wrote: »

I booked a UK internal return flight with BA and for reasons outside my control, I needed to make alternative arrangements for the outbound portion. This was done, and I then contacted BA to tell them that I no longer needed the outbound flight, and they could go ahead and re-sell it. I had no great expectations of a refund and had already written off the cost and no doubt much of the so called "tax", because I was aware that the booking was non-refundable and non-flexible.
I then learned that if I didn't turn up for the outbound flight, my entire booking would be cancelled, and I would not be allowed on to the return flight.
Even worse, I found I was unable to cancel the outbound portion, I would have to cancel the entire booking, and then re-book the return, on the same flight, at the current price.
In my opinion this is nothing more than exploitation. I lose the entire flight price, and much of the tax etc that I had paid, and then I have to pay again to get a seat on the same plane back. In many ways this is actually worse than a budget airline. The most you can lose with them is what you pay for the flight you don't take. In this case the loss was the price of 2 flights, one of which I still wanted so I had to pay again for it. What a ridiculous situation.
This nothing short of exploitation, and is of course "explained clearly in the T&Cs whch you agreed to"! Of course it is!
So everyone, be aware that there is no assurance of fair treatment from BA, and they take every opportunity to impose charges just like the much maligned budget players, they are just better hidden. At least I know what I am in for with them, and they will be getting my business in future.
BA you deserve everything that is happening to you, and you won't be around for that much longer, unless you can find a way of justifying the extra costs.

Wake up and realise that you're to blame because you changed your plans. It's been standard practice for all full service scheduled airlines to operate this way since the year dot. It's done to protect themselves from people like you or those trying to fiddle the system.

If you wanted a flexible ticket then you should have purchased one !

You obviously know very little about the airline industry, BA will be around much longer than you ! Bye !

stinky84

I used to fly quite often on BA internal flights and although they say that if you do not use the outward leg then you cannot use the return leg of a ticket I have done it on several occasions as have some friends.
Don't cancel any part of the journey and check-in online up to 24 hours before the flight so that you know you are on it before arriving at the airport.

globetraveller

It's not just BA- it's common practice. I have had to change an outbound flight and only paid for that. The return remained unchanged.
Although its in the T&Cs I do think there should be some changes enforced on the airlines but until then- we are stuck with it.